From Dracula to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, from Forever Knight to True Blood, humans have been perving on vampires for more than a century. Sure, they’re often portrayed as gorgeous, eternally young and really stylish (as long as you’re okay with giving in to your gothic tendencies), but they’re also dead. And, you know, murderers. So why are they so sexy?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m as fascinated with vampire tales as the next person. I like how flexible they are. Vampires as metaphor for sex? For disease? For kink? For addiction? Yes, yes, yes, yes. But what intrigues me is why so many vampire stories are romances. Why all the vampire lovers, vampire heroes?